A known type of electrical terminal applicator includes an applicator ram drivable by a press ram through a working stroke towards, and a return stroke away from, a crimping anvil. The applicator ram has a first crimping die for cooperation with the anvil to crimp a first portion of an electrical terminal onto an exposed end of a conductive core of an insulated electrical wire during each working stroke of the applicator ram. The applicator ram has a second crimping die for cooperation with the anvil to crimp a second portion of the terminal onto the insulation of the electrical wire during each working stroke of the applicator ram. The second crimping die is adjustable axially of the applicator ram. Plate means are mounted for angular adjustment about an axis on, and extending lengthwise of, the applicator ram. The plate means selectively interpose first projections between the press ram and the applicator ram to adjust the shut height of the first and second dies, and selectively interpose second projections between the applicator ram and the second crimping die to independently adjust the shut height of the second die.
In this known terminal applicator, the plate means include two calibrated plates which are independently angularly adjustable manually about the axis of the applicator ram. One of the plates carries the projections for adjusting the shut heights of both the first and second dies, and the other plate carries the projections for adjusting the shut height of the second die. Thus, for each position of adjustment of the first die there are a plurality of positions of adjustment of the second die. An example of this type of known applicator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,160 to Bulanda, dated Jan. 12, 1988.
An applicator is known in the prior art having three stacked, calibrated discs or plates, each being on the order of 5 mm thick. The upper ring has upwardly directed projections to adjust both the insulation and conductor crimp heights. The lower ring has downwardly directed projections that contact the insulation crimp tooling for addition adjustment thereof independent of the conductor crimp height. The middle ring also has downwardly directed projections that contact that conductor crimp tooling for adjustment thereof independent of the insulation crimp height. The lower ring is generally annular to permit the projections of the middle ring to extend through the plane of the lower ring and contact the conductor crimp tooling. Because of the thickness of the discs, adding a third calibrated disc would require significant modifications of the tool for housing the applicator ram.
This invention is directed to a novel calibrated disc which can be retrofitted on existing applicator rams without requiring significant modifications of the existing ram housings and other operative mechanisms associated with the applicator tool.